Combined system of fire-alarm and police-patrol telephone and telegraph



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. C. HALE & A. BARRETT. COMBINED SYSTEM OF FIRE ALARM AND.POLIGE PATROL TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH.

No. 440,563. PatentedNov. 11, 1890.

lllllllllllllll simplicity of construction.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. HALE AND ALBERT BARRETT, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

COMBINED SYSTEM OF FIRE-ALARM AND POLICE-PATROL TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,563, dated November 11, 1890.

Application filed March 28, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE C. HALE and ALBERT BARRETT, citizens of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined System of Fire-Alarm and Police-Patrol Telephone and Telegraph; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to a combined system of fire and police-patrol telephone and telegraph; and the primary object of our present invention is to provide novel means whereby visual and audible signals can be sent to fire or policeheadquartcrs from an outlying subscribers telephone or a street-station, and to e11- able oral communication between headquarters and an outlying station whereby we are enabled to provide three distinct means of notifying headquarters of the existance of a fire or other disturbance.

A further object of our present invention is to provide means whereby each alarm or signal turned in from an outlying station is automatically recorded at such station to make a record of the same; further, to provide means which enables oral communication to be held between headquarters and two outlying sections should two alarms or signals be sent in from such stations at the same time; further, to so arrange the parts of the outlying signal-box or station that the subscriber cannot disconnect the telephonefrom the circuit, which enables the operator at headquarters to hold oral communication with the outlying station until the requisite information is obtained, and, finally, to improve the apparatus in minor details with a View to promoting efficiency of operation and With these ends in view our invention consists in the combination and arrangement of devices,which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand and practice our invention, we will now proceed to a detailed description thereof, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a view of a system of fire and Serial No, 345,744- (No model.)

police-patrol alarm embodying our improvements. Fig. II is a detail view of the callboX or apparatus at an outlying station on the fire or police circuit. Fig. III is a vertical transverse section through the call-box on the line 90 0c of Fig. II.

Like numerals and letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings, referring to Which- 1 designates a normally-closed circuit leading to fire-department headquarters 2, and 3 a similar circuit to headquarters of a police department 4:. In each circuit 1 and 3 is included a register 5 for giving the operator at headquarters visual notice of the call from an outlying station and a battery 6 for charging the circuit.

A designates an outlying street-station, to which leads the wire of both the police and fire alarm circuits 1 3, and 8 is the telephone apparatus at said street-station, which is normally cut out of both circuits, but which can be included in either circuit 1 or 3 by devices which we will now proceed to describe.

Two pairs of magnets 10 11 are provided, each pair of magnets being separate from the other pair, and each pair of magnets at this street-station has a movable armature 10' 11, respectively, each armature being pivoted at one end and adapted to be moved or swung so that its free end comes against the contact 12 or 12', according to which set of magnets it is desired to include in one or the other of the circuits. The pair of magnets 10 are adapted to be included in the fire-alarm circuit 1, and the pair of magnets 11 to be included in the circuit 3 to police headquarters, and the armatures of these two pairs of magnets are connected by a single connectingwire 14, attached to the armature 12 12' near the pivoted ends of the same. To this con necting-wire It is connected the telephonetransmitter 3 of the telephone apparatus 8 at the outlying street-station, and this telephone apparatus has a ground-connection 8", as shown. The armatures of each pair of magnets is independently operated by a switch 15 15, respectively, said switch being normally out of contact with the armature and in contact with a contact-piece 16 of the closed metallic circuit 1 or 3, and this switch has a branch connection 17 with one of the wires of the closed circuit, which wire leads to one of the pairs of magnets. The metallic circuit 1 or 3 is thus normally closed, owing to the switch being in contact with the contact 16 of one of the wires of said circuit and having the connection 17 with the other wire of said circuit, and the pair of magnets and telephone apparatus 8 at the outlying station are thus normally cut out of the closed metallic circuit.

It is evident that the telephone apparatus 8 at the outlying street-station can be included in the circuit to either the fire-department headquarters or police headquarters by simply depressing the switch 15 or 15 to include the magnets 10 or 11 in said circuit,,as, for instance, when the switch 15 is depressed the contact of said lever with contact 16 is broken and the armature 11 is forced or moved against the contact 12 of the magnets, so that the circuit is completed through the magnets 11, the armature 11' thereof, and the telephone apparatus 8 through the ground-connection 8 of said apparatus to and through the circuit 3 to the police headquarters. It is evidentthat the telephone apparatus 8 can be included in the fire-alarm circuit 1 by operating the switch 15 of the other pair of magnets 10, as the operation is precisely the same, and a patrolman is thus enabled to directly notify both fire and police headquarters from a single station, or either of said headquarters, which is advantageousin case of. a fire, as the patrolman can thus summon help from both departments at one time.

We will nowproceed to describe the apparatus at headquarters by which signals are sent to the same and the operator enabled to hold oral communication with an outlying station on the circuit leading to headquarters.

As the apparatus at fire and police department headquarters are precisely the same both in construction and operation, we do not deem it necessary to give a specific description of the apparatus at both headquarters, as the description of the apparatus at one will answer equally as well for the apparatus at the other.

20 designates a relay at headquarters, which is connected to the closed circuit 1 or 3 by a connection20', and the armature 21 of this relay is included in a local circuit 22 for giving an audible alarm to the operator at headquarters that a person at an outlying station desires to communicate with headquarters. In this local circuit is included a bell 23 and a local battery 24 for energizing the local circuit and ringing the bell when the local circuit is closed through the armature 2]. being attracted by the magnets of the relay.

25 designates the transmitter at headquarters, which is connected by a wire 26 to the relay 20, and 28 is the telephone, which is normally suspended on the hook 27, which is pivoted at one end and connected at its pivoted end to the transmitter through the wireconnection 29. The telephone is also connected with the transmitter through the wire 29, and the weight of the telephone on the suspending-hook causes the latter to come against with the contactof the wire 30,Which leads to the switch 30, said switch being included in circuit with the telephone by the wire 31 and normally held against the con tact 32 by a spring 32', the contact 32 being in circuit with the primary battery 33 through the wire 33, having a ground-connection 34.

35 designates a contact on the opposite side of the telephone-hook 27 to the contact of the wire 30, and when the telephone is removed from the hook 27 the latter isinstantly raised by the spring 36, so that the book comes against the contact 35, and the latter is connected to the closed circuit 1 or 3 by a wireconnection 37, as shown.

B designates a subscribers station to either the fire-alarm circuit 1 or to the police-headquarters circuit- 3. The telephone apparatus 41 of .this outlying subscribers station E is normally included in circuit with the line 42 to exchange or central office, which line has a contact 43, against which normally bears the armature of the call-box or apparatus at the subscribers station; but this armature and telephone apparatus 41 at the subscribers station is adapted to be automatically cut out of circuit with the central office and interposed into the closed metallic circuit.

45 designates a pair of magnets-at the outlying subscribers station, and to one of these magnets lead one of the wires of the closed metallic circuit, while the other magnet of the pair has a contact 46, which contact is locatedon the opposite side of the armature 47 of the magnets 45 from the contact 43 of the exchange-circuit 42, so that said armature is adapted to alternately or successively come against either the contact 43 of the exchange line or the contact 47 of the magnets 45. This armature is pivoted at one end, as at 48, and normally it is held against the contact 43 by a coiled spring 48.

A lever or switch 50 is provided for moving the armature from the contact 43 toward the magnets and against the contact 46 thereof, and this switch is fulcrumed ata point intermediate of its length, so that one arm thereof is adapted to be forced against an insulatingpiece 51 on the armature when the free end of said switch is depressed or pulled downward by a pull-cord 52, attached to said end of the switch. This switch is normally against a contact 53 of the closed metallic circuit, and it has connection by a wire 54 to one of the wires of the closed circuit, so that nor mally the circuit 1 or 3 is closed through the switch in connection with the contact 53 and the wire 54; but when the switch is moved the contact 53 is broken, but the circuit is kept closed through a resistance-coil, to be hereinafter referred to.

The telephone apparatus 41 at the outlying subscribers station has a ground-connection 55, as shown.

IIO-

In the detail view, Fig. II, of the drawings, wehave shown a register in connection with the call-box or apparatus for sending inasignal to headquarters. This register comprises a fixed dial 56, having suitable inscriptions thereon, and the dial is traversed by a hand or pointer carried by a shaft 57, which is suitably journaled. This shaft carries a ratchet 58, arranged in rear of the dial, and the ratchet is moved one notch or tooth each time the switch 50 is operated by means of a feeding-pawl 59, attached to the upper end of the armature 47 and having a projection, which fits against one of the teeth of the ratchet, whereby the pawl rotates the ratchet and moves the pointer at each movement of the armature toward the magnets 45 and the contact 46 thereof.

Should two signals be sent to headquarters from as many outlying stations at the same time, or a signal be sent to headquarters from one station while another station is in communication with the same, we have provided means to overcome this objection and enable both stations to communicate with headquarters. This consists of a resistance-coil 60, which is'connected at its ends to the two wires of the closed circuit at a point at one side of the contact 53 of the switch 50 with the closed circuit.

It is evident that when the station E is in communication with headquarters the contact 53 is broken by the switch 50 being manipulated to cut the subscribers telephone out of the exchange-circuit and interpose the same into the circuit to headquarters; but should another outlying station-as, for instance the street-station A-call up headquarters the circuit from such outlying station to headquarters would be across the resistancecoil at the station B, instead of through the contact 53, the switch, and connection 54, as would be the case were the station E in its normal condition or out of the circuit to headquarters. It will thus be seen that the circuit 1 or 3 is normally in a closed condition, as the resistance-coil is shunted out and thrown into the circuit each time a signal is sent from an outlying station to headquarters. The armature of the register 5 at headquarters must be so adjusted that it will leave the magnets when the resistance-coil is thrown into the circuit, and when said coil is shunted out of the circuit said armature will be attracted to the magnets.

The operation of our invention is as follows: The armature 47 at the outlying subscribers station is normally against the contact 43, so that the telephone apparatus is in the exchange-circuit, and the armature 11 at the street-station 7 are free from the contacts 12 12, so that the telephone apparatus 8 is normally cut out of the circuits 1 and 3 to police and fire headquarters, the circuits 1 and3 being closed through the switches 15 15, the contacts 16, and connections 17. It will thus be seen that we have a circuit which is normally closed from the battery 6 through the register 5, through the wire to the connection 54, the switch 50, contact 53, over the wire to the connection 17, through the switch 15, the contact 16, and over the wire back to the battery, thus making a complete closed metallic circuit. \Ve also have a circuit leading from the ground-connection of battery 33 to the ground-connection 55, which is normally open at the contact 46 47. Now if the switch 50 at an outlying subscribers station is depressed the contact 53 is broken and the armature 47 moved to break contact with 43 and make the contact 46, thus cutting the telephone at subscribers station out of the exchange-circuit and interposing the same into the circuit to headquarters. As soon as the contact 53 is broken, the circuitis complete from the battery 33 through the wire to contact 32, switch 30, hook 27, wires 29 26, relay 20, and through the wires to magnets 45 and contact 46, which thus energizes the magnets 45 and holds the armature 47 against the contact 46, thus completing the circuit through subscribers telephone apparatus to the ground through the connection 55. At the same time the magnets of the relay are energized and attract the armature 21, which closes the local circuit 22, and thus gives an audible alarm through the bell 23, while a visual signal at the register 5 of the closed circuit is given at the same time that the switch 50 is thrown to break the contact 53, as hereinbefore described. To enable the operator at headquarters to hold oral communication with the outlying station, the telephone 28 is removed from the hook, which at once cuts the local circuit 22 out to stop the audible alarm given by the bell 23 and enables the operator to hold communication with the outlying station. It will be seen when the telephone 28 is removed from the hook 27 that the contact of the wire 30 is broken and the contact of the wire 37 is made, because the spring 36 lifts the hook into engagement with the contact 35; and the circuit is thus complete from the primary battery through the contact 32, the switch 30, wire 31, telephone 28, wire 29, the transmitter 25, wire 29, hook 27, contact 35, wire 37, the wire of the closed circuit to the magnets 45, the contact 46, armature 47, the subscribers telephone apparatus 41, and the ground through connection 55, thus completing the circuit. As soon as the operator at headquarters secures the desired information, the switch 30 is opened for an instant, in order to cut out the primary battery 33, which thus demagnetizes the magnets 45, releases the armature 47, and allows it to again make the contact 43 and restore the subscribers telephone apparatus to the exchange-circuit. The operation is precisely the sameif the alarm is sent in to either police or fire department headquarters from the street-station A, the current passing through the contact 53, the switch 50, and connection 54 of the subscribers station when the latter is not in use, and through the resistance-coil when the contact 53 is broken. It will thus be seen that we have provided novel contrivances whereby headquarters is notified in three distinct ways of the existence of a fire or other disturbance, first, through the register by telegraph; second, the audible signal of the local circuit, and, third, by oral communication through the telephone apparatus at headquarters and the outlying stations. The operator at headquarters is thus enabled to secure definite information as to the location, 850., of a fire or disturbance, as the outlying station cannot become out off except by opening the switch 30 at headquarters. The resistance-coil is normally shunted out of the circuit, and when the call-box is pulled at an outlying station the switch breaks the contact 53 and the resistance-coil remains out of the circuit until the box breaks or the armature makes the contact 46, when said coil is included in the alarm-circuit; but when the box closes and the switch makes the contact 53 the resistance-coil is again shunted out of the alarm-circuit. We attach importance to the use of this resistance-coil, arranged and adapted for service in the manner specified, as it provides a route for the message from another station should the subscriber at the station at which said resistance-coil is located desire to communicate with headquartersthat is, if a subscriber at the station E desires to communicate with headquarters at the same time that the station A is in communication with headquarters the resistance-coil at the station B provides a route for the message from the station A, and thus enables both stations to communicate with headquarters.

In Figs. II and III of the drawings we have illustrated an enlarged detail View of the callbox or apparatus at a subscribers station. The switch or circuit-breaker 50 is carried by a shaft or arbor 60', and we provide means for automatically returning the switch to the contact 53 when it is released. This means consists of atrain of clock-work gearing having the usual pallet and escapement and a coiled spring, which encircles the shaft or arbor which carries the switch, and when the pull-rod is released this spring returns the switch to its normal position to make the contact 53. One of the shafts or arbors of the clockwork mechanism carries the registerdisk 61, having a suitable number of cogs or projections, and against the periphery of the disk and the projection thereon impinges a circuit-breaker 62, which is included in the alarm-circuit and serves to make and break the circuit in order to operate the telegraphregister 5 at headquarters. This register may be of any of the ordinary kinds of telegraphregisters, and any suitable form of circuitbreaker 62 may be employed. The switch 50 of the call-box at the outlying street-station or the subscribers station is returned to plan or its normal position by the clock-work mechanism, which is connected or geared to the shaft which carries said switch 50. As this shaft of the switch is turning to return the switch to plan or its normal position, the break-wheel 61 is also rotated by the clock mechanism to send in the signal to the register at headquarters; but the break-wheel is so geared to and driven by the clock mechanism that the break-wheel makes a complete revolution within the time occupied in returning the switch to its normal position, whereby the break-wheel and contactbrush are caused to send the desired signal in to the register at headquarters just before the switch 50 makes the contact 53, the register being thus operated while the switch 50 is shunted out of the circuit. The resistance-coil 60 is normally shunted out of the circuit-that is, the coil 60 is cut out of the circuit when the call-box is included in the circuit;' but when the call-box at said outlying station is first pulled the switch 50 breaks the contact 53, so as to temporarily out the call-box at said outlying station out of the circuit and to interpose the resistance 60 in the circuit, which thus forms a shunt around the switch and permits telephonic communication across said resistance from an outlying station to headquarters; but when the pull cord or rod is released, and While the switch is being returned to plan by the clock 'mechanismjthe break-wheel and brush serve to operate the register at headquarters, the rotation of the break-wheel being completed just before the switch again makes the contact 13, which thus closes the circuit through the switch, thereby cutting out the resistancecoil, The signal-wheel and circuit-breaker do not operate to wholly break the circuit to headquarters when they are operating the register, because the resistance 60 is thrown into the circuit at the instant that the callbox is cut out of the circuit, and thus the circuit from headquarters to a street-station or another outlying street-station is kept closed through the resistance-coil while one callbox and telephone. apparatus is temporarily out out of the circuit and the registeris being operated. The resistance-coil has of course less resistance than the call-box and telephone apparatus at the outlying station, and instead of completely breaking the circuit when one box is out out of the same the re sistance of the circuit is simply varied by the interposition of the resistance-coil into said circuit at the same time that the call-box is cut out of the same. WVhen the call-box is pulled or the station cut outof said circuit, the resistance 60 is interposed therein, so as to form a route for telephonic communication across the front of the call-box for the transmission of messages, and when the box is closed the resistance is shunted out of the circuit, so that the same results are attained on the register as if the circuit were made and broken each time a tooth in the wheel 61 passes the circuit-breaker.

ITO

The object of the resistance across the tire or police circuit in front of the call-box at the outlying station is twofold: First, if the fire or police circuit were made and broken when the signal-wheel 61 was operated a severe click of the battery would be audible in the telephone at the station, which would interfere with the use of such telephone while the box Was coming on the register; but by the interposition of the resistance into the circuit while the break and brush are operating the register no such click is audible in the telephone, as the resistance of the main circuit is only varied and never broken; second,if the circuit becomes broken, telephonic communication can be had with headquarters from all stations on both sides of the station at which the break occurs; but without the resistance located as described it is only possible to have communication between headquarters and on one side of said outlying station, and when the boxis pulled or thrown out of the circuit said circuit would be opened and communication with headquarters could not be had until the box closed. \Ve attach importance to the use of this resistance 60, arranged and adapted forservice in the manner specifled, as it provides a route for telephonic com munication in front of the call-box at the out lying station fora message from another box or station should the subscriber at a station other than the station at which said resistance-coil is located desire to communicate with headquarters-that is, if a subscriber at the outlying station E desires to communicate With headquarters at the same time that the station A is in communication with head quarters the resistance-coil at the sta tion 13 provides a route for the message from the station A, and thus enables both stations to communicate with headquarters.

e do not confine ourselves strictly to the exact form and proportion of parts and details of construction of the mechanismsherein shown and described as embodiments of our invention, as we are aware that changes and alterations therein can be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the ad vantages of our invention. e therefore hold ourselves at liberty to make such modifications as fairly fall within the scope of our invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a system of fire and police alarm, the combination of a closed circuit to fire head quarters and provided with a signal-receiving device, an independent closed circuit to police headquarters, also having a sigi1al-1receiving device, an outlying street-station having a telephone apparatus, which is included in the normally-open ground-line, and which is adapted to be interposed into either of said circuits at will, a pair of magnets at said streetstation for each circuit and which are normally cut out of their circuit, connections between the armatures of the two pairs of magnets and the single telephone apparatus at said outlying station and the independent switches included in the closed circuits and arranged to operate the magnets to interpose the same and the telephone apparatus at the outlying station in one of the closed circuits, and at the same time to break the closed circuit momentarily and operate the signal-device at headquarters, substantially as described.

2. Ina system of fire and police alarm, the combination of a circuit to fire headquarters and provided with a signal-receiving device, an independent circuit to'police headquarters, also having a signal-receiving device, and outlying street-station common to both circuits and having a telephone apparatus, which is included in a normallyopen ground-line and is adapted to be interposed at will into either the fire or police circuits and enable oral communication between the street-station and either headquarters, a pair of magnets for each circuit and which are normally cut out of said circuit, the armatures and the single telephone apparatus, and the switches included in the fire and police circuits, respectively, and arranged to move the armature (one or both) to include the pair of magnets, the armature thereof, and the telephone apparatus into either or both circuits at will, and at the same time to break the closed circuit momentarily and operate the signal-receiving device at headquarters,substantially as described.

In a combined system of telephone and telegraph alarm, the combination of a nor- 1nally-closed circuit including an indicator, a battery, and a switch having a contact anda connection with said circuit, an open circuit including a telephone apparatus and battery at headquarters, an outlying station having a telephone apparatus, which is connected with an armature normally in circuit with an exchange-line, and magnets located at the outlying station and included in the open circuit, whereby thearmature is adapted to be cut out of the exchange-line and be held by the magnets to close the open circuit and interpose the telephone apparatus at the outlying station in the circuit to headquarters, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4:. In a combined system of telephone and telegraph alarm, the combination of an outlying station having a telephone apparatus connected with a movable armature, an open circuit leading to headquarters and provided at such outlying station with a pair of magnets and a contact for the armature, a telephone apparatus and battery included in said open circuit at headquarters, a normally closed circuit having a battery, and a switch included in the closed circuit and arranged to move the armature to make the contact of the magnets, and thus interpose the telephone apparatus at the outlying station into the circuit to headquarters, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a combined system of telephone and telegraph alarm, the combination of an open circuit to headquarters including a telephone apparatus, a primary battery, and a switch between said battery and telephone apparatus, an outlying station having a pairof magnets which are included in the open circuit, a telephone apparatus at the outlying station having connection with an armature normally included in a circuit to exchange or central office, and a closed circuit including a register, a battery, and a switch having a contact and connection with said closed circuit and adapted to operatethe armature to interpose the latter and the telephone apparatus in the circuit to headquarters, substantially as described.

6. In a combined system of telephone and telegraph alarm, the combination of an open circuit having a primary battery at headquarters, the contacts between which the suspending-hook operates and connected, respectively, with a switch and the circuit-wire, a telephone suspended by the hook and included in said open circuit, an outlying station having a telephone apparatus and a pair of magnets which are included in the open circuit, a normally-closed circuit having an indicator, a battery, and a switch, and an armature connected to the telephone apparatus at the outlying station and adapted to be interposed in the circuit to headquarters by the switch of the closed circuit, substantially as described.

7. In a combined system of telegraph and telephone alarm, the combination of an open circuit to headquarters, an outlying station having a telephone apparatus included in a normally-open ground-line, a pair of magnets included in an open circuit to exchange or central oflice, the switch connected with the telephone apparatus at said outlying station and included in the closed circuit, and a re sistance-coil connected to the wires of the open circuit in front of the magnets and switch and forming a shunt around the switch for the purpose described, substantially as set forth.

8. In an alarm system, the combination of an open circuit to headquarters, an outlying station having its telephone apparatus in a normally-open ground-line, a pair of magnets having the armature connected with said telephone apparatus, a closed circuit including a switch which moves the armature and momentarily breaks the closed circuit, and the resistance-coil connected to the closed circuit in front of the magnets and switch, and forming a shunt around the switch as a route for transmission of messages while the telephone is cut out of the circuit, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE C. HALE. ALBERT BARRETT.

Vitnesses:

IRA F. WILsoN, R. S. RODGERS. 

